8/12/2015

The wait was worth it!!
I ordered the Cheeseburger and the crispy fries with the garlic aioli, fried egg, and béchamel sauce.

About the Cheeseburger: Incredibly juicy, a soft and slightly sweet bun, and to top it off, its completed with a nice spread and the BEST thinly sliced pickles I've ever had!

Them Crispy Fries: Ok. I'm no stranger to carbs and have had my fair share of fries and I must say, these were DELICIOUS. The fries were on the salty side, but it made the perfect complement for the cheesy béchamel sauce. If you're planning on ordering fries, you may as well upgrade to these since you've probably already waited over an hour just to sit down

All in all, this place is worth a visit and if you want to beat the crowd, just aim to eat around 9:30 on a weekday otherwise you'll most definitely be waiting around 2 hours +/-

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  The Crispy Fries!!! Why not upgrade your crabs? Worth every calorie

  The Crispy Fries!!! Why not upgrade your crabs? Worth every calorie

8/13/2015

Here I am. The famous Au Cheval. All those reviews about the burger and the long waits. They are partially true. As a burger connoisseur I had to go there and try it myself to see if the urban legends were true. Now here comes my hammer, behold!

I went there by myself on a Tuesday night and waited 1.5hrs. There is a little trick to shorten your wait time, make your presence felt; meaning step in there every 30min and remind the guy that you are there and waiting. I was told that the wait would 3hrs. I actually saw people waited 3hrs, a group of 3.

90% of the bars, grills and pubs serve their burgers with a side. Here, I had to order the fries separately. I kinda felt like it was a rip off; for such price, you should be able to provide burger with fries.

Before I get to the burger, I will start with the ambient. The music was banging, literally banging. Even though the tables for 2 are small, people were yelling at each other to be heard. They do not play slow music and it is loud. I did not feel comfortable with that, maybe that's a business strategy to make people leave faster.

The fries, the cut of the fries were good, I could feel the taste of the potato. The fries were served with garlic mayo which was another good thing. I myself eat my food salty but these fries were way too salty that dried my lips and burned my throat. Be easy on the salt guys. You may ruin nice fries and the burger experience.

The legendary burger is not the best burger in the city; and definitely not the best in the country. For a restaurant/bar/pub burger, it was above average. Nice patty and good beef taste. There are at least couple of other burger places in the city makes it better. I do not understand the reason behind these exaggerated reviews. I guess when people wait 2 hours, it makes it more delicious and they are just conditioned to like it. Congratulations to the management or the PR team that created this hype, repute or marketing strategy for this place that makes people wait for hours for a normal atmosphere and food. If I could walk in and sit down yes, It was an ok experience but Definitely Not Worth the Wait, period.

8/12/2015

Does Au Cheval have a good burger? Yes. Is it the best burger that's worth the wait? No.

If you don't want to listen to any reviews and plan on judging the burger for yourself for dinner, get here long before 5pm. Just because the KITCHEN is closed from 3pm-5pm doesn't mean that the RESTAURANT is closed then too. There are a ton of young kids hanging around drinking booze which makes me believe the drunkards give this place a 5 star without realizing what they are doing. Do not drink and review drunk please!

Anyways back to the food. The burger is good, not great, nor is it the best burger. Are the patties juicy? Yes. Is there a proper bread to meat ratio? Yes. Is all of the above worth the wait? Hell no. The French fries are also good and the garlic aioli is fantastic. Hell, if a friend wants to go here again I'll probably get 3 orders of fries and skip the burger.

If you're looking for a cool hipster bar with good food and don't care about paying too much for what you are getting, Au Cheval is your place.

8/12/2015

Look, if you hate waiting for anything, go elsewhere. But if you're willing and able to stop in at 11:00 for lunch on a weekday, get the burger and proceed to rave to your friends. It's not worth waiting 3 hours for (Kuma's Corner is my only will-wait-for-burger and that's a stretch), but it's delicious and worth a special trip out of the office.

PS: you will smell like a diner afterward. They cook the burgers on an open griddle out front, and if you have long hair like me, you're gonna smell like Eau de Au Cheval allll day.

8/11/2015

Finally, a highly anticipated Chicago hot spot that didn't disappoint! (I'm looking at you Publican and Purple Pig) Au Cheval is known for its glorious cheeseburger and the long, looong wait, which is exactly what we got.

Au Cheval is a tiny restaurant on the corner of Randolph street so not made for large parties. Our group of 6 was perfect, albeit a tad squeezed, for the booths in the venue. We came at 10pm on a Wednesday night hoping for maybe a 45 minute wait... Oh, boy were we wrong! Even at this quiet hour, the wait would be 2 hours. Disappointed but determined to bite into the legendary burger, we waited out at Haymerchant nearby.

TIP: They will text you when your name comes up on the reservation list to which you will have ten minutes to respond. So, put your name on the list and get drinks somewhere nearby (or even go home) to pass the long wait time!

When it was finally time, we ordered right away. Cheeseburgers with fried egg and bacon for everyone please! Please, everyone, do not ignore what all the fans say - this burger is out of this world. I will say, THE BEST burger I have ever had! Melt in your mouth, fatty goodness is what makes Au Cheval at the top of everyone's list. You have to get it with bacon and egg or you'd be doing it wrong. One friend also got the foi gras toast and another the duck hash. I am a sucker for foi gras and thought it was eclectic but sensational when paired with jelly. The duck hash was also a hit with my friend who doesn't eat beef. Foodgasms for the whole table!

Can't wait to have this burger again and maybe sooner than I thought with the opening of Small Cheval!

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  LOOK AT THIS BURGER IN ALL ITS GLORY!! You must, must get the fried egg and bacon to join the dance party in your mouth.

  LOOK AT THIS BURGER IN ALL ITS GLORY!! You must, must get the fried egg and bacon to join the dance party in your mouth.

7/31/2015

I was recommended Au Cheval by one of my customers a long time ago and had to give it a try. I'm glad I did but doubt I'll make it a regular spot for a burger.

Although the burger is quite good, it isn't amazing. I still prefer Umami Burger. I also had their French fries which were good but only when you dip them in the garlic aioli sauce.

A bit weird that they open early but won't serve any food until 5 pm. The place is tiny so make sure you get there early if you want to eat.

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  Single

  Single

7/24/2015

I finally tried Au Cheval's infamous cheeseburger - item #38 on my bucket list is now checked off.

My friend took one for the team and put our names down early enough for us to eat at a reasonable time. Three hours later, we were seated at 9:30pm (yes, expect to wait that long). Here's a tip: get there as early as you can and put your name down. Then, either go home and do laundry, visit a friend you haven't seen in awhile, catch up on some Netflix, or grab several drinks somewhere and wait for your text to know that your seat is now available.

Like Conor McGregor of the UFC, this is the real deal and not just talk. It's deceiving because the appearance and list of ingredients don't do it justice. You don't see a pile of fried onion rings or foie gras or whatever people are putting on burgers these days. It's literally just two patties with American cheese, pickles, and a mayo mixed with Dijon mustard - that's it but somehow it tastes amazing. The main flavor is fat but it's not greasy. The burger is cooked on a griddle where all of the meat juices go right back into the patty in comparison to an open grill. You bite into it and there's a burst of love juices that flow into your mouth and something magical happens afterwards.

Whether it's laced with something or enchanted with David Blaine's evil demon magic, it is definitely an impressive burger that has left me puzzled.  I don't know how they do it but yes, it was a phenomenal burger.

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  The infamous cheeseburger - laced with either LSD or David Blaine's demon magic

  The infamous cheeseburger - laced with either LSD or David Blaine's demon magic
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  General Jane's Fried Chicken - reminiscent of Korean fried chicken. Fact: Jane is a real person who lives in Chicago.

  General Jane's Fried Chicken - reminiscent of Korean fried chicken. Fact: Jane is a real person who lives in Chicago.
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  The infamous cheeseburger - laced with either LSD or David Blaine's demon magic

  The infamous cheeseburger - laced with either LSD or David Blaine's demon magic
• See all photos from Pari P. for Au Cheval

7/27/2015

That is indeed a really good burger. Life-changing? No. But still a really good burger. Plan to arrive a few minutes before 11 and have everyone in your party with you - you can't be seated without everyone and you will lose your table.

Burger was tasty, and make sure to get it with the delicious thick cut bacon. Possibly with an extra side of bacon. It's really good bacon. A surprising table favorite was the root beer on tap. With less carbonation than a typical bottle, I heard more cooing over this root beer than the burger itself. Fries came with good sauces, but were a bit limp for me.

Dessert list is limited, but the mille feuille (pastry layers with cream) was excellent. Local black dog gelato (which is always tasty) is also available.

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  Look at this size of that bacon.

  Look at this size of that bacon.

6/29/2015

I first visited Au Cheval two years ago with a friend who was obsessed and described this place as "the most amazing place ever." Two years, and three trips later, I still agree with him.

I was here just last Friday. I arrived around 6:30pm and was told that the wait for a booth was 2.5-3 hours but I could be seated immediately at the counter. I didn't mind the counter at all because it meant I had a perfect view of the busy kitchen.

For drinks, I ordered the Shakespeare Stout and loved it! Great stout beer!

Every other time I've been here, I've ordered the bologna sandwich - which is delicious. But this time, I wanted to try the burger. For dinner, my friend and I both ordered single cheeseburgers with egg and bacon. It took about 15-20 minutes to get our food but the entire time we were amused by the fast pace of the kitchen.

The burger arrived spread out and it looked amazing. We put the top half on the rest of the burger, pressed down, and watched the egg yolk ooze down the burger. Sometimes ooze is a gross thing but this was a delicious looking ooze. By the time the burger made it to my mouth, each bite was eggy, bacony, and meaty. It was perfection. I could've eaten the burger without pausing but I made sure I ate it slowly to savor the flavors. The single burger is actually two meat patties stacked but neither patty is exceptionally thick. It made for a filling but not truly heavy meal.

Overall, this was a delicious experience. Burgers are definitely worth. Just be warned, adding the egg and bacon adds about another 5 bucks to the meal so dinner and drinks with tax and tip will cost you almost 30 bucks.

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  The single cheeseburger with egg and bacon.

  The single cheeseburger with egg and bacon.

7/31/2015

Unless you've been living under a rock, you've certainly heard about Au Cheval's burger being one of the best in the country. I've been here numerous times, and can say that it lives up to the hype and is worth the wait. Don't think you're going to get in here with a party of eight people. Au Cheval is better suited to a group of four or less.

If you don't want to wait 2-4 hours for a booth or table, just wait for the next open seat at the bar. It's first come, first serve. Plus, you get to see the kitchen in action. My wife commented on how it's like seeing harmony in motion. It's certainly captivating while you're waiting for your order. Everyone in the kitchen knows their role, there's no screaming like Hell's Kitchen, and things just get done. It's a beautiful thing.

So how about that food? If you're going to order their famous burger, top it off with an egg and thick cut bacon. Trust me on this. Oh, if you're feeling especially gluttonous, just remember that a single is really a double and a double really is three patties. If you're going to top either of these off with bacon and egg, then you may have to be rolled out of the place. Fair warning!

Next, try the crispy fries with an egg on top. It comes with sides of garlic aioli and mornay sauces. I love both, and it's a nice compliment to the burger. Plus you can share with your friends!

Another item I've had is General Jane's Honey-Fried Chicken, and this is another fantastic dish to share with your table. It's sweet, and will certainly require a wet nap or two! It's a bit pricey, but if you think about the quantity and split it between friends, then you may be able to rationalize that dollar figure.

All in all, I feel blessed to have a place like Au Cheval in Chicago that so many people around the country are raving about and flocking to while I just have to travel a relatively short distance. Folks, remember, the wait may be long, but there's the bar, and you can always just chill out at other places in the West Loop until you get that wonderful text saying a table is open for your party.

6/25/2015

Wow, I don't even like burgers and was not too excited to come here and have to wait hours to get one.  My bf and I had a friend come in from out of town and we wanted to take him somewhere good.  This place is like a modern classed up diner, dark, small, and very loud.  We came here on a Wednesday, around 5 pm and put in our names for a table for 3.  Our wait was almost two hours, but we went to a bar across the street while we were waiting for them to text us that they have a table available so it wasn't too bad.

To start, I had their punch cocktail and it was really good! We ordered two sides of their fries with the egg on it and each got a single burger.  BE WARNED, the single has 2 patties, and the double has 3.  AND THE BURGER WAS AWESOME.  You absolutely have to get it with bacon and egg on it because it was literally all about the bacon, soooooo delicious.  And I loved the pickle/onion mayo they dress it with.  The burger was super juicy and melt in your mouth. I don't think I'll ever eat a burger again if it's not from here!  Everything ended up costing about $112 without tip, not bad.

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• 

  Bloody Mary

  Bloody Mary
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  Menu

  Menu
• See all photos from Karolina T. for Au Cheval

7/28/2015

On a Saturday morning, the line wrapped around the corner and was about 90 people deep - 20 minutes before the restaurant even opened.

I've had Au Cheval on my list of places to try for quite some time, and once my dad heard that Au Cheval had the "best burger in Chicago," he insisted that we HAD to try it.  My dad thinks that paying more than $20 for a pair of shoes is ludicrous, so I warned him of the rumored long waits and gave caution of the burger with a hefty $11 pricetag - and that's before you add bacon or an egg.  He wavered a bit, but then became dead set on trying the burger that was declared "best."

The good news is that, despite the long wait, they opened the doors and began seating promptly.  After that, the guy at the door began taking names and phone numbers.  We were quoted a wait for 1 hour, 15 minutes (I'd like to remind you that we arrived before they opened), and we headed across the street to Haymarket for some beers.

The service is decent, the music is too loud to have a conversation, but who gives a sh*t?  When you waited in line this long you're starving and don't have time to speak.

The burger is delicious; the single is two patties, the double is three.  The house made, brown sugar bacon is thick and practically a patty itself.  I didn't think the egg was necessary.  Worth the wait?  Well, I wouldn't do it again.  I still think that Leadbelly, Kuma's, and Flub a Dub Chub have superior burgers.  Au Cheval's is quite messy too; I dug in with my fork & knife.

Get the fries.  The garlic aioli is a good dipping sauce for the burger too.

Yes, the food is very good.  I loved that we were able to put in our name for a table instead of sweating bullets in line outside.  But I do think that, overall, Au Cheval is a bit over-hyped.  Their burger didn't break my top 3, but I wouldn't mind coming back to try something else on the menu.

6/19/2015

It's good. Very good. However, the wait is not. There's nothing fun about waiting 30-60 minutes for a cramped space. But, I doubt there's any way around it if you want to try this place.

It has been on my list of places to try for quite some time but I could not bring myself to drive over to wait to eat a burger. But, my close friend insisted on having her birthday meal here so I made the exception and will say it was a great meal and I am glad I did.

The wait has a lot to do with its size.  It's close quarters and the tables are seriously small. It's like staying in your first hotel in Paris. Uncomfortably tight but you are too excited about the whole experience to notice or care. We were seated in the back table area which is a long bench with several tiny tables spaced throughout with a chair on the opposite side of each table. When others are seated next to you, hold your food or pay attention.  I promise you. Something will shift on your table. Their coat, purse, butt or some other body part will touch something on your table because it's a little cramped.

Is it worth trying? Definitely but personally, I would not visit here routinely. Primarily because I am not a fan of waiting thirty plus minutes to eat a burger in a city inundated with good burger joints. If you like sipping on Randolph street, you could be regular here. They will text you when your table is ready so you do not have to stand around waiting.

FYI- the kitchen closes from 3p-5p each day.

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  Single Cheeseburger

  Single Cheeseburger
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  Hashbrowns with Fried Egg

  Hashbrowns with Fried Egg

6/17/2015

Voted one of the best burgers in America, be prepared for a ridiculous wait.

// LOCATION // Across the street from Girl & the Goat

// AMBIANCE // It is a itty bitty dimly lit bar

// WAIT // 2 hours for a party of 2 on a weeknight during dinner. Insanity. Luckily they text you when your table is ready which gives you the opportunity to get drinks at the nearby bars

// FOOD //
    + Au Cheval burger: Topped with thick cut bacon and a perfectly cooked fried egg with an oozy yolk, this burger is fantastic. I don't know if anything is really worth waiting 2 hours for though.

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  Burger Au Cheval with Bacon

  Burger Au Cheval with Bacon
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  Fries

  Fries
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  Old fashioned

  Old fashioned

8/3/2015

LIVED UP TO MY EXPECTATIONS. Best burger ever, hands down. Why you might ask? Well it's not just the meat itself (which is pretty darn juicy) but it's also all the extra stuff that goes with it. My husband and I bellied up to the bar for a couple burgers, fries, and beers. FYI I recommend just sitting at the bar- you get to watch all the action/magic happening. Plus we would get the occasional free samples of leftover things the cooks were making. Real cool people working there.
The buns are perfectly toasted, the thick cut bacon covered in pepper, and maybe a bit of maple syrup, and the egg is cooked so perfectly so that when you smash it all together you get a the messiest most delicious burger imaginable. Be sure to include their sauce too! The fries were also perfection, and came with this ridiculous garlic dipping sauce. We had the apricot pale ale which I also recommend.
Def a must on any burger lovers list!

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• 

  AMAZING.

  AMAZING.

6/8/2015

So I always read the negative reviews when I go to a place as hyped as this to see if there's a legitimate beef (no pun intended, ok maybe a little intended) or if this is the usual brand of whiny yelper.  Here are the illegitimate beefs.

Wah, I had to wait a really long time.  Uh duh.  That's what happens at good restaurants.  It's not a reason for a 1 star review.  

Wah, the restaurant is small, therefore I had to wait a long time.  See above.

Now let's move along.

The burger.  Sheer perfection.  They don't ask you how you want it cooked because they know how to cook it so that it tastes better than anything you'll ever pull off your grill.  The combination of perfectly melted and creamy cheese along with one of the more tender burgers you'll ever devour was just heaven.  The bun was toasted just perfectly.  Just the slightest bit of crisp while not feeling heavy or like you were eating a piece of toasted garlic bread.  The bacon.  Allow me to close my eyes and smile for a moment in remembrance.

The fries.  So yea $6bucks is a lot for some fries.  However having done my research I knew their were enough to share.  They were crispy, salty and delicious.  The burger is superior, but the fries were definitely worth having if you need fries with your burger.

The drinks.  Yum.  I had an old fashioned and it was solid.  My friend had...hmm I don't remember, but it was orange in color and it was fabulous.  So ask for the orange thing on the cocktail menu.

The wait, I dunno.  I'm not dumb enough to not read the reviews and just show up at dinner time on a Friday night.  I went on a Tuesday at 5pm sharp.  I waited zero minutes.  

Chicago has a plethora of amazing burger joints and this one ranks near the very top.

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  Deliciousness

  Deliciousness

6/9/2015

Came in on a Tuesday night at 10:45pm and had a 10 minutes wait. This alone speaks volumes about the popularity of the place.

When we got seated the service was attentive and quick.

Got a burger with egg and Moscow mule.

The burger was spot on. Delicious, juicy, flavorful, and just overall a perfect cheat day meal (which I had right after working out. Oops)

The atmosphere is old school diner and San Fran bar blended into one. I like it. It's fun yet relaxing. It's a bit dark though so prepare to use your phone to real the menu.

I will most definitely come back for brunch with all the foie gras options and if I'm craving a simple yet delicious burger.

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  Burger with egg

  Burger with egg

8/11/2015

"Au cheval" means 'with egg' in French, our waiter stated matter of factly when we inquired as to whether the burgers came with an egg.  That explained a lot, to our collective relief, as the strict translation would refer to something about a horse.  And that's why we leave the culinary colloquialisms (and cooking) to the pros.  With that said, we decided to have an egg in everything we ordered, which wasn't hard to do:

-au cheval cheese burger with THICK slabs of bacon
-frites with garlic aioli and mornay sauce
-scrambled eggs with foie gras

So first off, know that this is a HEAVY restaurant, even by Chicago standards.  We came here for brunch after a pretty massive dinner, and we had trouble finishing everything among the 3 of us.  That being said, if you had just come in from running a marathon or biking a century, this is THE meal to have.  The burger....oh the burger.  Best in America? Probably, but I'd love to taste the contenders that try to dethrone this badboy.  The foie gras scrambled eggs? Have a cardiologist handy (funnily, the 3rd person with us was actually a cardiologist).  We also topped it off with healthy helping of their bloody mary, made with sweet pickles (not a bad touch!).

Overall, this is a great place.  But I think I could only come once every few months, unless I REALLY enjoyed the company of my cardiologist...

7/22/2015

OMFG best burger ever. Seriously. You will rarely wait less than 1 to 2 hours to sit, but it's worth it. The burger is the juiciest thing you will ever taste. There's basically just one burger option: a cheeseburger. The patties are super thin so the regular cheeseburger has two patties, but you can also add on a third. I always get the regular cheeseburger with bacon. Mmm thick cut, delicious bacon. You can also get a runny egg on top...messy but delicious. And then there are the fries...fries fried in BUTTER. Butter!! They're the best. Seriously. I'm salivating just thinking about it.

Put down your name when you're not hungry, go across the street to the brewery and then eat your heart out!

7/28/2015

After hearing about this place for years, I finally was able to find a very random time to go and try the famous burger for myself.

My mom and I stopped in on a cold, rainy, Thursday and were able to get seated right when it opened. I knew lines tended to get long, but I didn't realize that it was a combination of high demand and very limited seating. Definitely happy we got here right when it opened because by the time we left every seat was filled.

As for the food - we ordered the fries to start and they were amazing. It was very hard to stop eating them, but we kept reminding ourselves that our burgers were coming and we'd need the room! I ordered the burger with egg and bacon, while she just ordered the egg. Be warned - these are big burgers and messy to eat. That being said, they were pretty amazing. I like when burgers are cooked thin and that's the way they do them here. It's definitely one of the best burgers I've ever had.

However, I could never see myself waiting 3 hours to eat this burger. If you can help it, don't. Find a random time to take an early lunch, or show up late at night and hope the line isn't too bad. I think I was able to enjoy the food so much because I wasn't super angry that I'd been standing around for hours for a burger.

7/25/2015

First off, I wish Yelp had decimals... 4.5!!! The only thing is the wait which is totally understandable because this place is BUMPINNNNN.

The decor- awesome, the service- great, the food- TOO GOOD.

I got the hamburger with sunny side up egg and bacon... One of the best hamburgers I've had, HANDS DOWN. I kept telling myself that this burger better be the best burger on earth if I had to wait 2 hours in line for it, well it was worth it. They make their own pickles too so that was pretty bomb.

Other dishes from the table- omelette with jack mushrooms and cheese and a duck heart skillet. Both were bomb! The duck heart was amazing, haven't had something like this since France!

Would definitely go here again when I go back to Chicago and recommend to anyone visiting here!

7/26/2015

Without a doubt the best burger spot in the country. Their bacon, egg and cheese burger is perfect in every way! I could eat this cheeseburger multiple times a week.

No wonder Food Network had deemed Au Cheval's burger the best in the nation.

Go a early or wait a long time. Either way, it's absolutely worth it. I wish I could eat here all the time.

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  Hands-down the best cheeseburger I have ever had! It was absolutely perfect in every way, brought me to a new level of flavor.

  Hands-down the best cheeseburger I have ever had! It was absolutely perfect in every way, brought me to a new level of flavor.
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  Au Cheval's cheeseburger with thick cut bacon, a sunny side up egg, garlic aioli mayo, and pickles. Absolutely perfect!

  Au Cheval's cheeseburger with thick cut bacon, a sunny side up egg, garlic aioli mayo, and pickles. Absolutely perfect!
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  The best cheeseburger I have ever had, hands down! Getting it with bacon and egg is the way to go.

  The best cheeseburger I have ever had, hands down! Getting it with bacon and egg is the way to go.

5/16/2015

We met friends for Sunday brunch just before 10am and we joined the line of eagerly awaiting, hungry customers. Right at 10, the doors opened and the first seating filed inside.

The restaurant has a cool and laid back vibe. With dark brown leather booths, wooden tables, and a large bar, it appeared more fitting for a night out for drinks than for a late morning meal. But, clearly this was a brunch haven for Chicagoans and tourists in the know.

The brunch menu is limited with fairly standard entree options without any specific theme - burger, omelette, potato hash, salad, bologna sandwich, chilaquiles, simple egg breakfast, yogurt and granola. Sides included bacon, a blueberry muffin, fries or hash browns. More than half of the menu listed cocktails, breakfast beers, and coffee drinks.

Nothing really stood out to me but yelpers seem to love the burger. While my friend cautioned me against buying into the hype, based on her experience with the burger there, I went against her recommendation and ordered it anyway. After all, Bon Appetit named it the "Best in America" in 2012.

Two patties, cheese, and pickles were sandwiched between a toasted bun ($11.95), along with the add-on of thick-cut peppered bacon ($3.50) - which, by the way, was the star of the burger - and dijonnaise. I cut it in half and took a bite. It tasted like an ordinary burger. A good one, but nothing that couldn't be easily replicated. The order of fries ($5.95) were also just good.

$20 for a mediocre bacon cheeseburger and fries, along with poor service, was a little ridiculous but the time spent with good company was priceless!

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  Cheeseburger a cheval w/excellent thick-cut bacon

  Cheeseburger a cheval w/excellent thick-cut bacon
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  Fries

  Fries
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  Chilaquiles

  Chilaquiles
• See all photos from Maisha R. for Au Cheval

8/9/2015

This place was recommended to us as being the best place to get a burger - it did not disappoint.

The host told us it was a 2.5 hour wait, we waited. After only an hour, we got our table - we're unsure why the host told us 2.5 hours.  

We already knew we wanted their signature cheese burger - we ordered it and waited with intense anticipation. When it came, we were floored. It looked so beautiful - I almost didn't want to cut into it (my fiancé and I split it). It was the most delicious cheeseburger I've ever had. I'd gladly wait 2.5 hours to order one of these bad boys.

8/6/2015

What to expect: Coming to this joint on a weekend means you're going to be on their wait-list. Don't worry, you can leave your name / phone number and you'll be free to leave. They'll text you when your next in line. Just be sure to arrive there 10 mins upon your text or you may lose your spot. I would give this 5/5 but waiting 4 hours that day from 6 p.m. was a disappointment. Usually the wait is 1~2 hours but 4 hours? Z.z~~

Au Cheval, "Home of the greatest burgers." Many people often look past the fact that it may simply be A Burger. Well, if you haven't taken a bite of this gourmet burger, you really haven't tried a burger at all. This by far, will bring you back time and time again.

For beginners, order their single cheeseburger with egg AND bacon. Why? Ordering a single cheeseburgers actually gives you two meat patties (you don't want to scarf down 4 patties if you ordered their double cheeseburger, or do you?) I'm going to say this again, please order the egg and bacon. If you don't, you won't find the excellent balance between the sweet-delicious bacon that is mixed with the egg yolk that neutralizes the salty beef patty. You'll thank me later. They have a wide selection of hard liquor and beer, so you'll be pleased to find both.

As for parking, I'll let you in on a little secret. Right across Au Cheval on 740 W Randolph street there's parking available. A HIDDEN GEM. Or if you don't mind walking a mini bridge literally equivalent to 1 block its on 730 -732 W Randolph. There both paid meter parking. If you don't want to go back and forth checking on your meter. You can also download the parking meter app! Hope this helps.

8/11/2015

Always busy per usual. Great atmosphere. Sitting at the bar is neat as you watch the crew toss out burgers left and right. Get there at least a half an hour before opening time on the weekends and you're bound to make it in on the first round of walk-ins.

8/4/2015

I have been to Au Cheval (and many other Brendan Sodikoff restaurants) a few times since I work nearby and is a great lunch spot when you want to eat early and beat the lines.  Au Cheval has the same decor and feel to Gilt Bar or Bavette's.  

I'm sure you've heard of his famous cheeseburger (two patties) by now since it has been featured on every nationwide food publication/blog by now.  The hype is on another level with this place.  The burger is good and I have had the cheeseburger with bacon and egg on top and I have had it just simply prepared without the toppings, just bun, cheese and beef.  I would for sure recommend having it without the bacon since it is a thicker cut and completely overpowers the burger.  A fried egg normally makes everything better.  

The General Jane's wings are good and crispy and completely drenched in sauce, but if you want good Asian fried chicken, head to Crisp in Lakeview.  I will also order the fried bologna sandwich when I'm not craving a burger and to be honest, it might be better than the famous cheeseburger.  It absolutely melts in your mouth.  The fries are very meh here.  I was expecting better.  

Like I said, I have been here a few times and normally on the days after long weekday happy hours (that always turns into many happy hours) when I'm looking to eat something greasy at an earlier-than-normal lunch time since it is within walking distance to my office.  Come early and come hungry - you will be full the rest of the day.  I just wouldn't wait more than 30 mins to get a table when there are a lot of other great options nearby.

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  Fried Bologna Sandwich

  Fried Bologna Sandwich
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  "Single" Cheeseburger

  "Single" Cheeseburger

5/14/2015

This place is worth the hype, only 4 stars because while the food is amazing, I still feel weird getting an 80$ bill for burgers and beers. Here is a game plan for all first timers you should stick to:

1. Get there at 4 pm, and save a table and grab some beers to wait to save your spot. They don't take reservations, and they don't start serving dinner until 5, but they will let you chill and hang out before then. By the time 5 pm rolled around, there was already a line out the door, and every table was full of people with the same idea.

2. Split the sides like fries or whatever you want. They are huge, and one of the mistakes we made was each ordered a side of fries, when we could have easily split one. This probably added an extra 5 or 6 bucks to our bill.

3. Get the fried egg and candied bacon on top. Yes it's more expensive, but you've already invested the time and effort to get to Au Cheval, so why on earth would you wait in line or wait at a table for an hour and NOT try the burger with all the trimmings?!

Amazing burgers, great and friendly staff, love the ambiance of the rustic wooden tables and candles. Will go again when I have another Saturday afternoon free.

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  Burger with candied bacon and egg

  Burger with candied bacon and egg

5/4/2015

Visiting Chicago to try a burger seems silly to most, but if you're prepared to try one of the finest gourmet burgers and mouthwatering bacon that Chicago has to offer then you're in for a real treat.

My boyfriend and I visited Au Cheval on a brisk Friday afternoon and there was a swarm of people waiting outside. Our estimated time was roughly an hour, but luckily they took down cell number and called when our table was ready. When we got our call we headed into the intimate space and sat at the bar. I didn't notice at first, but they have hooks underneath to hang your coat and/or purses.

The menu was a bit confusing as a single cheeseburger ($10.95) actually has two patties and a double ($12.95) has three, but we managed. We wanted to have a wide spread of items to sample so we decided to split a double cheeseburger, and ordered bacon a la carte (5 slices for $8.95), and fries with a fried egg and Monray sauce.

I'd pass on the fancy fries with the egg (I felt that the egg didn't really bring much to the dish), but I highly recommend ordering the fries as is and you DEFINITELY need to order the bacon on the side - that way you can fully appreciate the bacon's amazing-ness.

The bacon at Au Cheval is probably the best bacon I've ever had. The crispy exterior and juicy fatty interior was balanced with the sweet maple syrup taste and fresh cracked pepper. My gawd, it was heavenly and lets not forget about the burger which was also extremely flavorful. The bun was lightly toasted and the cheese melted perfected onto the juicy patty. Mmmm...  

Overall, a very successful trip and while tourists may not think to come pay Au Cheval a visit, it certainly should be a destination for foodies worldwide.

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  The spread. Yum!

  The spread. Yum!
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  Double cheese burger

  Double cheese burger
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  Fries with a fried egg

  Fries with a fried egg
• See all photos from Irene Y. for Au Cheval

8/7/2015

The burger here lives up to the hype. I've been many times and will keep coming back despite the crazy wait time. It's worth it.

The key is going in with the right expectations. You have to come early, put your name down and then go for drinks or go home and take a nap or something. This is not the type of place were you show up 7pm on a Saturday, already hungry and try and get a table for your group of six. There are plenty of bar options in the area for a couple pre-dinner drinks.

I'm also so impressed with the staff here. They are so lovely. They could probably be awful and people would still come, but they aren't.... the service is great.

I haven't tried anything else on the menu, but the brunch menu does look great. If I went for brunch, I'd probably just get a burger again. It's one of the best burgers I've ever had, and definitely my favorite in Chicago.

7/8/2015

I've read the owner isn't big on Bon Appetit's declaration of Au Cheval having the "Best Burger in the World" (see link for Eater article) but I would like to say its one of the best burgers I've had and its not just because of the burger...

...it's also for the atmosphere and overall dining experience! Dimmed lights, closer seating arrangements and tunes that range from funk, synthetic pop, lounge and soul-hop make this diner feel like a modern day hub for "hip" in West Loop.

If you're going to grab a seat, you should expect to wait for at least 30 mins but that's not necessarily a painful experience. Au Cheval has a pretty sound method to tackle the infamous "waiting for a table". Once they get your phone number, you're free to leave the restaurant until your table is ready, which is communicated by a series of personal text and not those awkward and at times confusing auto-generated messages - and that's something that's really appreciated!
You're free to go an explore the West Loop until your meal is ready and there's quite a bit to see in the near couple block. Even if exploring isn't a thing for you, you can slide into a nearby restaurant or bar for a quick drink!

Once you've received that text saying your table is ready, you'll walk into the hip atmosphere and have access to some of the best food and "down to earth" staff. If you can manage to sit at the bar - which highly recommend, you'll have a prime view of the chef-staff doing work on all of the orders. The staff can always make great recommendations but you should really go for the Cheeseburger if there's no dietary restrictions stopping you. The waiter / waitress will ask about food allergens and present the options for additional toppings (bacon or egg for the burger). Caution on ordering side items unless you're beyond hungry or splitting meals with someone as the cheeseburger itself will suffice.

One note worthy item for the beer drinkers of the world - Last I checked, Au Cheval does serve Allagash Black which seems to be harder to find than Allagash White and with good reason - the flavor is far more of a milder spice that is very soothing and only adds to the hip atmosphere at Au Cheval!

Resuming back to your meal - the food is usually served in a more than timely manner. Note that the burgers might get a bit messy but that's what keeps things interesting, right?

All in all, Au Cheval offers a fairly simple menu with a delicious twist to almost every item on the menu in a hip environment. Does it have the best burger in the world - maybe, but it for sure offers one of the best dining experiences around a burger and that's a reason you should check it out!

chicago.eater.com/2015/4…

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  Crispy fries

  Crispy fries

8/4/2015

Everyone is correct that they have REALLY good burgers.
However, I don't think any food is worth waiting over 2.5 hours..
In any case.. I really liked how when you reserve your seat, they text you when your table is ready, so you have free reign to walk around the neighborhood, grab an appetizer and drink elsewhere while you wait.
I have seen numerous comments on here regardless the rude staff and host? I thought everyone was super friendly, very accommodating and on top of their game.
Wishful thinking, but hopefully once small cheval hits bucktown, I'll be able to enjoy another one of these burgers without the huge wait!

8/8/2015

Really good. Not best burger in the country, good. Still it was a tasty double patty with really good bacon. Didn't go for the egg but we had that on the fries with melted gruyere. Also good drinks. The nice part is to combat the ridiculous wait times they let you give them your number so you can go get cheap great whiskey or beer across the street.

4/24/2015

PLZ READ BEFORE COMING HERE: ok this is the most overrated restaurant in chicago
The place is extremely small like literly like a little room. The wait is crazy 3 hours!???????! I sat at the bar and ate because i aint waiting 3 hours. The service i hatted it they were either to busy talking with their coworkers or drinking not being helpful or nice i would never come here again even if it was for free foods okay best burger in chicago good joke!! Best burgers kumas corners wish i went to girl and the goat right next door!!!!!

Bloody marry: it was horrible i was at the bar so i saw how he made it it was already premade so it was extremely old like it had a funky taste to it being that it was very old the fixings were horrible there just vegetables? Some were good though because it was a sweet pickling but just was the worst cocktail ive ever had in my life

Bone marrow- this was the best thing here it was soo rich like omg so great then the bread is to die for supper toasty and buttery the marmalade was great! Such a great pairing the only problem was its to rich needs acid to cut the richness or a salad because its way to heavy

fries with mornay sauce- the fries were really crispy but they needed salt and seasioning because they were bland the marnay sauce sucked it lacked good cheeze flavor it was jus okay didnt do anything the aioli was good but i had better aioli at tons of places. The egg didnt see a purpose to it really it wasnt seasoned just had chives on it

The burger- the pattys are really thin didnt really have any flavour to them. The bun was falling apart. The condiments didnt add anything to it. The bacon was really good but it was really chewy so hard to eat lardons would be better all in all nothing special about it jus a normal burger u can get a cheaper better bigger burger at kumas corner

All in all i wish i didnt come here biggiest disappoint saw it on check please so thats why i came this is a hipster spot for sure but not worth it at all to expensive wish i would have went to girl and the goat right next door

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  Current menu

  Current menu
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  Bloody marry gross ewww

  Bloody marry gross ewww
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  Bone marrow to die for!

  Bone marrow to die for!
• See all photos from Michelangelo V. for Au Cheval

7/3/2015

The reviews complaining about the wait time are hilarious.  These are the same people that expect to roll up to Girl & the Goat at 6pm on a Saturday and be seated immediately.  Not going to happen.   They don't take reservations because they don't need to.  Want to plan your evening? Go somewhere else.

So if you want to eat at Au Cheval without a three hour wait, you have to be smart about it.  When we go, one of us gets there real early (think 4:15ish) to get our name on the list.  The wait it usually about an hour at that point. Then you can go grab a beer at Lone Wolf (or do what we did, go sit and watch the dogs at the dog park at Adams & Peoria), and before you know it you're getting that text asking for your ETA 'cause your seat is ready!

The people committed to standing around inside or outside are just dumb.  Go occupy yourself while you wait.

The food here is outstanding, and while I haven't had enough burgers to know if its the best in the US, it's damn good.  Drinks are solid too, and if you aren't wanting to pay $12 for an old fashioned you can always get a $3 tallboy of Hamms (yes, Hamms).

7/10/2015

I get it now. This place is something else and not just for their other-worldly burgers. I've been frequenting Randolph Street quite a bit this summer. Eating at Au Cheval almost felt like an obligation. I mean, I'm a lifetime Chicagoan, right? I've gotta eat this overly touted burger at least once, right?
 Most of the times we would pass by and ask the wait time just for fun. Three hours you say? Hmmm...maybe next time. Well, that next time finally came. We had a plan. Put our name down right as the place reopens for dinner. Well, in true fashion, our plan kinda failed. We didn't know bar stayed open from 3-5pm, and that people would be putting their name down on the list before dinner service started. At 4:30 we stood in line to talk to the host, or as I like to call him, the guardian of the burger gates.
  We ended up with a 2.5hr wait. Ok, that's doable. We walked around Randolph Street and actually ate and drank at a few other places because we are true foodies. Even had a doughnut. Good news was that the wait was only a bit over 1.5hrs. Sitting down felt soooo good. The ambience is so understatedly cool. It's like eating in a hallway, but in the hallway of the backstage to a rock concert. We ordered some drinks to start. I had the Hemingway Daiquiri. Best. Drink. Of my life. Of course both of us ordered the double burger (3 patties) with bacon and an egg. We split the fries with aioli sauce.
  The burger was of course amazing. Best burger of my life? Not sure. Definitely top 3. I was amazed they cooked those thin patties to medium. The melty gooey Kraft cheese works so well. Best. Bacon. Of my life. The fries were delicious. Service was great.
 We did it. We conquered Au Cheval and the famed burger. 3 days later we conquered it again. No joke. That time we stopped in later  around 10:30pm and after 15min was able to grab a seat at the bar and eat. Score. Once I get out of my burger coma, I'll probably come back for the chicken and bone marrow. And dat bacon and daiquiri.

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  The infamous Au Cheval double cheeseburger with bacon and an egg added.

  The infamous Au Cheval double cheeseburger with bacon and an egg added.
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  Mmmmm aioli fries with an egg.

  Mmmmm aioli fries with an egg.
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  My Hemingway Daiquiri on the left. Best drink ever!

  My Hemingway Daiquiri on the left. Best drink ever!
• See all photos from Sharita R. for Au Cheval

7/18/2015

Looking for the best burger in Chicago...nay America? Then this is the place to go and Food Network agrees! All I can say is OMG. No matter how many times I visit this place, it does not disappoint. Most burger places tout the best burger because of the creative toppings. However, what people fail to realize is that if you get the basics right, the burger will be amazing. The patties here are seasoned perfectly and topped with just the right amount of cheese. If you choose, you can add a delicious and thick slab (yes slab) of pepper bacon.

Also addicting are their fries with garlic aioli. If you add a fried egg to the fries, it takes them to a whole other level of deliciousness.

The key piece of advice I would offer is don't go when you actually want to eat because they don't take reservations and the wait can range from 1 to 4 hours. I would recommend putting your name in a couple hours before you are actually ready to eat and grab a drink around the area. Also, this place is small so if you have parties more than 5 people,  be prepared to sit separately. Either way,  it is soooooooooo worth it.

6/9/2015

When I Chicago I got a ton of recommendations to try this place out - and the burger definitely did not disappoint. I was quoted a 45 minute wait (they take your number so you can wander and be texted when your table is ready) but got seated in 30.

The burger was just as amazing as you've heard, the service unfortunately was not awesome. They forgot the egg on my burger (a must) and instead of taking it back to add it or remake, they had me wait and brought one out separately 5 minutes later. A bit of a bummer but the fact that the burger was out of this world good more than made up for it. Except to leave in a food coma. :)

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  YUM.

  YUM.

7/23/2015

Went in the evening and the wait time was over an hour long for a party of two. FYI: Larger parties are hard to seat here. We roamed around Randolph street exploring as this restaurant has a texting waiting list ensuring that no one gets skipped as they send a notification when your table is ready. With that said, we most certainly were skipped and upon returning and checking in with the frazzled host, I took a peek at the hardcopy paper and noticed other parties of two were seated before us... not cool.

Regardless, we were finally seated in a comfy booth and determined the food was worth the wait. We ordered what our friends hyped up: thick bacon-sunnysideupegg-cheeseburger, fries and off the menu mille-feuille Napoleon dessert.

Read an article saying that Au Cheval is ranked #2 best gourmet burger in the U.S. Needless to say, we recommend this restaurant as we went back for more delicious food!

The second time we decided to go, we went for lunch during a week day. Zero wait time!

On a different note, there's one bathroom for girls and one for boys.... small restaurant with no waiting area except outdoors, open kitchen with bar stools, dim lighting for ambiance, Chicago pay-to-park spots unless you're super lucky and get a freebie spot a couple blocks down.

• 

  get the bacon. thank me later.

  get the bacon. thank me later.

7/10/2015

I came here for lunch, and quite enjoyed the small venue with a very unique blend of classic settings and hipster music. Food is good: I had that burger with eggs (optional), which I was completely satisfied with. I sat on the bar and watched the cooks making food with rhythm, as the music was playing in the background - quite enjoyable to observe while waiting on your food.

I can understand why it would be hard to get a seat at other time than late lunch or late night, since it's such a small restaurant. But if you have a chance, definitely try out one of their burgers, it's worth it.

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  Bologna sandwich with egg (optional), along with excellent music and atmosphere. Cant beat this

  Bologna sandwich with egg (optional), along with excellent music and atmosphere. Cant beat this

5/1/2015

A MILLION STARS plain and simple. Au Cheval has been around for quite some time and the fact you will still wait up to 3 hours on a weekend night speaks volumes to its amazingness! There's just too many words to be said about this masterpiece. First and foremost...KILLER food. It's unreal. Save yourself any trouble and order the burger. There is nothing else that comes close to this burger in all of Chicago. Secondly, TRENDY. Yes you will wait, and yes it's worth it. It's situated on the most popular street so there is no shortage of places to go have a couple of drinks while you wait.

I'm keeping this review short to add to the allure of Au Cheval...basically it's the see and be seen in Chicago. Don't miss it! ;)

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  BURGER - the end all be all...

  BURGER - the end all be all...
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  Tastiest marrow bone with precious butter toast

  Tastiest marrow bone with precious butter toast

4/18/2015

I have been here on various occasions and each time the wait is dreadful, but once you sink your teeth in that burger, you would be thankful you were patient.

My recommendation is go during brunch which is 11am-3pm on Saturday and opens an hour earlier on Sundays. Why brunch you ask? Because they serve their infamous burger and you can get an order of their awesome bacon but without such a crazy wait time. I find it that you get more bang for your buck if you order the bacon as a dish versus on your burger because 1. You get more pieces and 2. Who doesn't want more bacon? Drop a couple of that goodness on your burger and proceed to devour. What I like about the bacon is the pepperiness is subtle and the melt in your mouth texture leaves you with pure bliss with each bite. Besides the bacon, you can take your burger even further by adding an egg. Beware, it can get a little messy, but you don't want to be that person in the restaurant looking over at the other table regretting you didn't get the egg too. Trust me.

To pair my burger during brunch, instead of a side of fries, I got a side of hash brown. You get your starch, but breakfast style instead. I figured you can mix it up, but do as your stomach desires.

On the side note, if you ever go for lunch/dinner and you like bone marrow, then its a no brainer. Order asap!

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  burger w/ egg

  burger w/ egg
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  side of hash brown & bacon

  side of hash brown & bacon

7/27/2015

Hands down one of the best burgers I've ever had. The burger itself was perfectly seasoned while the egg and thick cut bacon pulled it all together perfectly. (Tip: remember to ask to add the bacon and egg, they won't ask you if you want it)

Also THE FRIES!! Amazing. I recommend splitting them with one person because a lot of them come in one order and with a size of a delicious garlic aioli sauce.

Although they told us it would be a 2.5 hour wait for dinner on a Thursday, we ended up only waiting one hour. They text you when the tables ready so you're able to leave and grab a drink at one of the bars nearby while you wait.

Highly recommend!!

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  Single burger with bacon and egg

  Single burger with bacon and egg

7/12/2015

Au Cheval's burger lived up to the hype! It was simply delicious. Seasoned well and cooked to a medium in temperature this burger is immediately in my top five of all time!

The bun was so soft and tasty but firm enough to handle the over easy egg, bacon, cheese & burger. The bacon was a treat on its own. That had to be the best slice of American cheese in the WORLD! Lol

7/29/2015

Be prepared to wait when you come here. There is an average wait time of 2 1/2 hours. The kitchen closes at 3 PM to 5 PM. The bar remains open during these hours. We stayed and had a couple drinks and just waited for the kitchen to reopen. We started with the bone marrow and beef marmalade. It was really good but needed a tad more salt on the bone marrow. The beef marmalade was the best part of the whole thing. These burgers are very rich. The bacon is not like your average bacon on a burger, it's an actual slab of thick bacon. The single patty was just enough for me because of the bacon. I got the fries with gravy and an egg on top, it was good, I didn't find it special. The bloody Mary was very tasty. One of the best I've had. This place is pretty pricey. I spent about $120 for burgers and drinks. The bone marrow runs about $20. By the end of the meal I couldn't walk anymore. I had to take a bus back down to my hotel. Overall, great but if I didn't wait at the bar while the kitchen was closed I would have never waited the 2 to 3 hour wait. Super heavy food. If you're on a diet, don't bother coming here. They also play awesome music.

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  Single with Bacon slab and egg. Über decadent.

  Single with Bacon slab and egg. Über decadent.
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  Fries with gravely and egg

  Fries with gravely and egg
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  Bone marrow with Beef marmalade

  Bone marrow with Beef marmalade
• See all photos from Linda N. for Au Cheval

8/9/2015

Known for the best burger in America and let me tell you, it was!

My boyfriend and I got there on a Saturday night around 10:40. We were told the wait was going to be 45-60 min and will get a text, while wasting time, by around 11:20, we didn't get a text but decided to go back in anyways. We ended up getting seated. I got a single cheeseburger with a fried egg and it was delicious! We also got a side of fries with an egg on top, even better! It was definitely worth the wait and I would go back!

• 
• 

  Single cheeseburger

  Single cheeseburger
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  So good.

  So good.

4/27/2015

I came here having high hopes because everyone hyped this place up so much but like overhyped places, it didn't reach my expectations. I felt like the food was pretty average.

I had the burger that everyone said you MUST try and it was just really basic. I thought it would have been tastier. I mean don't get me wrong it was pretty juicy. Who wouldn't like a juicy burger right? But like I said, it was so simple. We also had the bone marrow which was more satisfying in taste so I do recommend people getting that.

This place seem to ALWAYS be busy. We came around 1 PM & there was already a line. I personally wouldn't wait over an out for this joint.

4/4/2015

Well, after waiting an hour and a half for a table on a Monday night, I really had high hopes for the food I was about to receive & I was not disappointed!

I started with the Hemingway daiquiri which was pretty tasty. Not too sweet, not too sour. It really had the perfect flavor.

For our appetizer, we had the chopped chicken liver with salted butter & toast. Uh, what the hell?! This was so delicious, you could have just eaten the butter by itself. Definitely a must try! Seriously, I am craving it just thinking about it.

I really had a few ideas in mind for dinner but my husband said the cheeseburger was the way to go... so I had the single cheeseburger (which is actually a double) with peppered bacon and egg. Um.. Yes! Absolutely fantastic! Perfectly cooked and incredible flavor.

The hubs had the fried house made bologna sandwich & of course I had to take a bite or two. It was a very good bologna sandwich, but slightly too garlicy (& I love me some garlic) for my taste. My husband loved it though & because it was his meal that's all that matters.

I seriously cannot wait to go back!!

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  Single cheeseburger with peppered bacon and a fried egg.

  Single cheeseburger with peppered bacon and a fried egg.

5/10/2015

Au cheval serves one of the best burgers in Chicago, hands down. My friend, who is a foodie based in Chicago suggested that if there's a place to check out for burger, Au Cheval is THE place to be. True enough, the burger here changed my life, literally.

I was here on a Saturday night and it was very pack. Lucky me, I was alone and could grab any of those 6 free seating at the bar. That being said, I did wait for almost 2 hours before I could sit down and eat. If you come with a party of 2 onwards and without any reservation, be prepared to wait at least 3 - 4 hours and the hostess would suggest you to go to the bar nearby, grab a drink and they'll call when the table is ready.  It's that crazy.

I ordered the open sandwich burger - their signature burger with fried egg and bacon. The beef patty was really good - juicy and flavorful and the bun that hold the patty was not soggy at all. I am very particular when it comes to burger and the bun has to be crispy and not soggy and soaked in butter / oil.  On top of the beef patty sat 3 huge pieces of bacon that were slightly seasoned with black pepper. I mingled around and got to know most of the people are regulars to Au Cheval and some are locals that had heard about the place through word of mouth from their friends or colleagues. One couple was kind enough to buy me a drink while we chat how we got to know about this place and where we come from.

Besides burger, I had thick cut fries and root beer to complete the meal. The root beer is another signature drink that you have to try served in an old school mug. If im back in Chicago again, I would definitely come back again even though there could be other burger joint in the city that could rival them. A solid 5 star for this place.
p/s: It could be slightly far to walk from the city and it's bloody cold at night, so grab a cab. It's just a short 5-10 mins ride.  

In total, I paid $28 for a burger, fries and a root beer. I had another free cider all thanks to the kind couple!

• 

  The sign that says it all..

  The sign that says it all..
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  Sorry a bit dark but this is the shiznit!

  Sorry a bit dark but this is the shiznit!
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  The crowd

  The crowd
• See all photos from Tzeko M. for Au Cheval

7/10/2015

I had been meaning to go here for a while with my friends so when we finally went, of course the wait was three hours.  We decided to go for it.  Why not, really?  We sat at Three Floyd's next door and ate a minimal amount of food there and drank beer, saving our stomachs for the burgers.

After three and a half hours, having not been texted saying our table was ready, we went in to ask about our table and it turned out they'd written down my friend's number incorrectly!  We almost lost our table!  Thankfully, they seated us right away.  It is SO dark in there in the evenings.  I guess that adds to the aura?  I couldn't see my food very well.

We got fries, smashed potatoes, and, of course, BURGERS.

-The fries were probably my favorite part, honestly.  Perfectly crispy and greasy and salted, served the fun way (in a paper cone!), and accented with a side of special sauce/ aioli/ the greatest sauce on the planet.  I asked for two extra sides of it.  That was almost enough to satisfy me.  Also, we initially ordered four orders of fries (one for each of us) but our waiter suggested we drop down to two, saying that was a lot.  I honestly just have a lot of respect for any server who doesn't prioritize making the bill as large as possible and actually helps to inform the customers of what would be an ideal serving size/ order amount.  
-Smashed potatoes with garlic gravy - why are these called smashed potatoes?  They're mashed potatoes.  Believe it or not, there's a big difference.  Still, they were delicious - buttery, creamy, and the flavor of the gravy was spot on.
-Single burger - ...do I really need to say anything about this?  The burger was delicious, the egg and bacon on top were GREAT (the bacon is so thick and perfect!!).  My only complaint was that it fell apart (makes sense for a huge, soggy burger) and the restaurant was so dark, I had trouble finding the fallout on my plate.  

Unsure my stomach can ever handle eating here again, but the whole experience, including the wait, was uniquely Chicago and a lot of fun.  I'd recommend going at least once :).

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  The single cheeseburger with bacon and egg

  The single cheeseburger with bacon and egg

6/22/2015

The single cheeseburger (really a double) is in my top 3 favorite burgers of all time.  Cannot wait to come back

Side tip:  wait times for tables are super long... so try for a seat at the bar

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  Awesome burger!

  Awesome burger!

7/3/2015

Two words: BURGER PORN. Such ooey, gooey drippy madness. Got there 25 minutes before they opened and had to wait another 45 minutes no big deal. Absolutely stunning burger. Those fries, tho. That garlic aoli! Heaven!

8/12/2015

Came here at 11pm on a Tuesday; it was a couple minutes wait for a seat at the counter. I had the cheeseburger with bacon, though I wish I had gotten the fried egg on top too (next time!). It was very delicious, greasy, good.

I've heard about the lines and glad I didn't go during regular dinner hours--it's a small place.

I'll go back.

6/11/2015 Updated review

Better experience second time around. Came here on Tuesday around 630pm and had an hour to hour 30 wait. We figured this would happen so we walked over to Lone Wolf for beers outside.

We got paged within the hour and showed up five minutes later but had to wait another 20 minutes outside the restaurant. It was a nice night out so not too bad.

Once seated, we felt the hustle inside. Our server was nice and worked fast. We got the chicken liver app and then I had a single (which is actually a double!!!) and my fiancé got a double (which is actually a TRIPLE). All the food was good. We were stuffed and needed the walk home.

I still believe they should take some reservations just to accommodate customers and make it easier for us to plan our evenings. They don't need to given turnover is nonstop but it would be nice for us!

7/28/2015

A potential three hour wait for a $22 adult version of a Big Mac meal (overdone Sysco patties with Kraft cheese on a highly-processed sponge bun.)

Here's how they keep up the hype:
1. Downplayed actual wait time. You will get an estimated wait time of roughly 2 hours+. At that time, you will wait more.  After that, they will text you, at which point you have 10 minutes to check-in or forfeit your hard-earned spot.  Upon check-in you will be told that your table is almost ready, so you will wait more time before actually sitting.  This is not including the standard wait time for your server and the actual food.
2. Snooty add-ons that offset the shoddy quality of the actual burger.  $3.50 for sugar-coated thick bacon add-on. $9 foie gras.
3. Faux cool-kid environment. Loud music. Small reclaimed interior. Punkish staff.

8/3/2015

Crazy good burger!   Can't wait to go back.

Went for link and the wait was not a bad as we expected.  We all got burgers and everyone loved them.

3/30/2015 Updated review

Went back for dinner and again left feeling like I was in food euphoria. My friends and I once again got the crispy fries w/ mornay sauce and bone marrow, and once again we were not let down. New additions to our dining experience included:

-Chopped chicken liver, salted butter, and toast: this was pure heaven. The liver was delicious and had nice big chunks (think a rough ground beef). I am definitely ordering this again every time I come back to Au Cheval

-Double cheeseburger w/ fried egg and thick cut peppered bacon: I made the fatal mistake of not ordering this my 1st time here (and instead trying bites of my friend's), and I would not make that mistake again. As stated in my previous review, this burger is life-changing. Bread: perfect. Patties: awesome. Bacon: thick. Egg: beautiful. Overall: AH-MAY-ZING. I like to think I have a pretty big appetite and can finish most dishes, but this double cheeseburger was definitely a struggle to eat. I'd say go for the single cheeseburger (if you're getting it w/ bacon and the egg) and that will leave you feeling full; the double cheeseburger (again, w/ bacon and the egg) will leave you feeling STUFFED (but in a good, lemme-unbutton-my-pants-I'm-so-happy way, not a gross way). Either way, MAKE SURE YOU GET THE BURGER (preferably w/ bacon and the fried egg)

The servers here know their beer. I had the saisonnière last time per our server's recommendation, and that was great. Tonight, I was in the mood for an IPA and our server recommended the heyoka ipa, which was on point.

I told myself that while I'm in Chicago, I'm only going to eat at each food establishment once (so that I can experience as many restaurants as possible), but amazing food places like Au Cheval are making that impossible. I'm not complaining, though - keep up the awesomeness, Au Cheval!

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  Double cheeseburger with bacon and fried egg. The bacon is so thick it's basically another patty

  Double cheeseburger with bacon and fried egg. The bacon is so thick it's basically another patty
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  Fries with mornay sauce

  Fries with mornay sauce
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  Chopped chicken liver

  Chopped chicken liver

7/27/2015

Sorry to disappoint, but we were totally underwhelmed by their burgers...
Service was so-so. Seems they were mostly pushing alcoholic beverages (maybe if we had ceded to their entreaties, the burgers might have tasted better?).
Not much else to say about the place --- sorry for low rating, but description per Yelp is "Meh. I've experienced better", which is very much how we felt.
Not judging on much else than burgers (I can't even remember much about fries), but that was the hyped food there so didn't feel we had to explore more.
For comparison purposes, on the same street we much prefer Grange Hall's burgers (still not in our top list though).

3/11/2015

Au Cheval was admittedly the most impromptu visit during our trip to Chicago, a serendipitous discovery brought about by a less-than-satisfactory meal at Girl & The Goat. Thankfully, Au Cheval was right across the street and thanks to the late hour, we were quickly greeted and seated at a booth.This diner/bar is already considered a city institution, despite the fact that it opened relatively recently in 2012. Its name, taken literally, translates to "on horseback" in French; at least as it relates to food, it indicates that there's an accompanying fried egg to a dish.

There's nothing pretentious about Au Cheval, except for, perhaps, the inevitable lengthy waits to get in during prime dinner and drinking hours. There's a row of counter seats where guests can grab a drink and watch the staff cook up an array of dishes, a few two-tops, and a handful of spacious booth seats against the wall. It's not the place to bring someone to in an attempt to impress [1], but it makes it the perfect place to visit when all you need is some good food, a drink, or both. Late at night, it borders on dive bar-esque, with dim lighting and blaring music.

Although I'd insisted on ordering just one plate to share, considering that it was our second dinner, we ended up going with two. First to arrive was the Crispy Potato Hash with Duck Heart Gravy, a hearty portion of crisp-crunchy shredded potatoes with a thick onion-based gravy, topped with a perfect fried egg and a sprinkling of chives. It's an impressive starting plate, best when shared amongst a group of people, as the combination of ingredients gets pretty heavy several bites in. The gravy wasn't too overwhelming, with a faint metallic tang that added a notable richness to the gravy.

Of course, we had to try one of Au Cheval's signature burgers as well, and the Single Cheeseburger (which is actually served with two patties, despite what its name entails) was yet another success, consisting of a four ounce prime(!) blend cooked to a medium, sandwiched between a soft bun and a layer of pickels, onions, dijonnaise, and a melted slice of cheese. Just like the venue, the burger is simple, no-frills, but expertly done, hitting all the right notes, especially with the addition of a runny fried egg.

What more do I need to say? A low-key environment, tasty food that's perfect after a night of drinking, and a more than reasonable price point has to be a win in any book. Come earlier or later in the evening to avoid the lines, if possible, but regardless, Au Cheval is certainly worth the wait.

--
[1] Unless, of course, your partner's priorities are clearly in line.

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  Single Cheeseburger (+ Fried Egg)

  Single Cheeseburger (+ Fried Egg)
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  Potato Hash with Duck Heart Gravy (+ Fried Egg)

  Potato Hash with Duck Heart Gravy (+ Fried Egg)
• 

8/3/2015

My favorite restaurant in Chicago. Hands down. Every bit is amazing. This is the place of my dreams...

And they have more on the menu that is phenomenal than just the burger. I promise.

7/30/2015

I'd heard about the 2-hour (or more) waits in the evening, so I showed up a bit after opening -- and still had to wait like 45 minutes. It's a very unpretentious setting, and the menu and servers are similarly, pleasantly, unpretentious.

The first food section on the menu had fried chicken, and it sounded delicious -- which I mentioned sort of in passing, as a joke, because obviously we weren't there for fried chicken. But my friend liked the thought, and we decided to split that and a burger -- good move it was. Our fried chicken was the envy of the restaurant (or at least a few people seated near us who saw it). It was also maybe 6 pieces, and honestly would have been enough food. The sauce is excellent, and the frying alone would have been enough -- it was expertly done, and of a nice consistency. We also got a double cheese burger, which apparently means double cheese and actually 3 burger patties. The burger patties are thin, which was interesting in the day of the thick, meaty burger. They let us get an egg on the side. The bacon is of the thick, really hammy, not crispy variety. The smashed potatoes weren't what I've come to think of as smashed potatoes, and were actually mashed potatoes -- and were delicious, with gravy and a clove of garlic floating in the middle of the gravy.

The beer selection wasn't huge, at least on tap, but they had some nice choices in a variety of styles.

The food came quickly, but we didn't feel rushed at all, despite the fact that I'm sure there was a wait. They were very attentive about clearing dishes and refilling water.

There's bike parking outside, but you may have to look around a bit because it all seems to be full when I've been in the area.